Ontario elementary teachers to ramp up work-to-rule campaign

Ontario's public elementary school teachers are preparing to ramp up their work-to-rule campaign and could begin rotating, one-day strikes as early as next month if they don't get a new deal done with the province by then.

The plan is outlined in a bulletin that the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) sent to its 70,000 members on Friday.

• Ontario English Catholic teachers ratify deal with province
• Ontario French school teachers reach deal with province
• Elementary teachers union threatens work-to-rule escalation

The bulletin says that "phase 3" of the job action will begin on Monday. Under the protocol, teachers will not provide comments on report cards, update classroom websites or blogs, complete or distribute class newsletters, participate in in-school meetings or professional learning activities on the next PA day, fill in for an absent teacher, or take on other duties during prep time.

The bulletin also identifies "Wynne Wednesdays," during which teachers will focus only on teaching and supervision in their own classrooms and are encouraged to wear ETFO t-shirts, caps or buttons or "a solidarity colour."

A "phase 4" to the job action says teachers "will commence rotating one day strikes if sufficient progress has not occurred at the central bargaining table," according to the bulletin. "Details will follow."

The ETFO had threatened to ramp up job action after contract talks broke down earlier this week.

Sandals responds

Education Minister Liz Sandals called the ETFO's move "disappointing."

The escalating job action and "the withdrawal of services will further disrupt students' learning in the classroom," Sandals said Friday in a statement, adding that the proposal presented to the ETFO is similar to the deals reached with Ontario's high school, elementary and French-language teachers.

"We are confident that an agreement can be reached within the parameters presented to ETFO and we are prepared to resume discussions on that basis," she said.

Some parents say the move will be hard on students.

"They're not thinking about the kids," said mother Eloisa Turla. "They're teachers who are supposed to be thinking about the welfare of the kids rather than thinking about themselves."

Also on Friday, the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA) announced that its members had ratified the deal it had reached with the province last month.